ASHES OF INSPIRATION

Immersive Marketing with Purpose.

The Problem

The Creative and Marketing industries have faced some of their most challenging years. Burnout has become a widespread issue, leaving professionals trapped in a relentless cycle of stagnation, frustration, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Yet, the most alarming part? No one was openly talking about it. There was no space for honest conversations, no platform to acknowledge these struggles, and no clear path forward.

The Solution

Immersive Marketing Activation inside Roblox and Fortnite, designed to tackle burnout head-on. Through compelling storytelling and interactive gameplay, we built a space where players could break free from the cycle of creative exhaustion. Every element—from in-game narratives to marketing content (animations, videos, and social media graphics)—centered around burnout, offering a raw yet uplifting perspective. Industry leaders shared their personal burnout experiences within the game, providing players with not only validation but also inspiration. This activation wasn’t just about raising awareness—it was about creating a space for relief, reflection, and re-ignited creativity.

Services

Creative Marketing.

3D Animations.

Immersive Marketing Strategy.

Game Design (Roblox and Fortnite).

Creative and Art Direction.

Social Media Strategy.

Sonic Marketing.

Phygital Marketing Activation.

MARKETING AND STRATEGY

Problem Identification – From the start, our goal was to create something truly impactful. We took a step back and asked: What is the most pressing challenge facing the creative and marketing industries today? Burnout emerged as the undeniable answer—a silent yet widespread struggle affecting countless professionals.

Strategy Development – Once we identified the problem, we needed to decide how to present it. Would we simply highlight burnout, or would we offer a path forward? We chose both: exposing the reality of burnout while providing solutions and inspiration.

Storytelling Development – Beyond defining what we wanted to communicate, we had to determine how to make it resonate. We crafted an engaging narrative that would connect with players on an emotional level, ensuring the experience felt personal and transformative.

Immersive Marketing Strategy – With the concept in place, we mapped out its execution through an omnichannel approach. While Roblox and Fortnite provided interactive storytelling, we expanded beyond gaming with Phygital Marketing Activations, a social media campaign, and AR filters on Instagram and Snapchat. This seamless integration ensured burnout awareness and recovery became a broader cultural conversation, not just an in-game experience.

THE STORY

In a world where burnout manifests as an overwhelming force, players embark on a journey through a desolate landscape shaped by self-doubt, exhaustion, and unseen pressures. Guided by the echoes of those who have battled before them, they must navigate challenges that mirror the struggles of creative professionals—relentless distractions, hidden truths, and the constant fight to push forward.

At the heart of it all lies the Burnout Viper, a powerful entity representing the ultimate test of resilience. Only by confronting it head-on can players reclaim their spark. As the journey ends, they emerge stronger, reminded that burnout is not the end—it’s a battle that can be faced, understood, and overcome.

Pre-Production

Art & Aesthetic Direction

Here, we crafted a visually immersive experience that reinforces the game’s story. We decided on a mysterious desert setting and HUB that symbolizes creative burnout, featuring an eerie yet intriguing landscape that transforms as players progress. To get the better idea of our aesthetic we created an extensive moodboard and began to craft our concept arts.

MOOD BOARD

CONCEPT ARTS

Bringing this world to life meant modeling everything from towering environments to the formidable Burnout Viper and its relentless minions. Finally, through fluid animation and rigging, every enemy attack, environmental shift, and movement within the game feels alive—ensuring that players don’t just play through the story, but truly experience it.

Gameplay Mechanics & Worldbuilding

The PvE co-op gameplay was designed to be both challenging and rewarding, with engaging Sphinx puzzles, interactive tombs (the more you do - the more achievements you unlock ) and a sense of progression that keeps players engaged. The desert landscapes, HUB, and deploy zones were meticulously built to reinforce the game’s storytelling, offering both mystery and discovery.

IT Development

A seamless, scalable, and dynamic game experience was our top IT development priority. Through scripting and programming, we developed the game’s core logic. To support both solo and co-op play, we implemented scaling systems that adjust difficulty based on team size, allowing for a balanced experience. Additionally, an intuitive UI/UX design enhances player navigation, featuring a streamlined HUD and in-game menu systems for effortless interaction.

Sound Design & Implementation

Our sound design combines AI-generated voiceovers with custom in-house audio production. All battle sound effects and foley were created by our sound design team ensuring high-quality, immersive audio that enhances gameplay and atmosphere. For the voiceover, we used Wondercraft AI to select a mysterious Alfred, the game’s narrator, who guides players through their journey.

In addition to AI-generated narration, Ashes of Inspiration features real stories from industry leaders who shared their personal experiences with burnout. These recordings were carefully edited and integrated into the game to match the overall tone and atmosphere, making the storytelling feel raw, authentic, and deeply resonant.

Launch and Marketing Content

Our marketing strategy for launch was all about turning heads and sparking conversations. First, we created an eerie, thought-provoking teaser to spark curiosity.

Next, we rolled out a stunning cinematic trailer, bringing the game’s world to life.

On social media, we didn’t just promote—we got people talking.

Through interactive storytelling posts, we invited our followers to share their own creative burnout stories, surprising them later by weaving their stories into the game itself.

Phygital Marketing (FOOH) Ads

To extend our game’s narrative beyond the screen, we created phygital advertisements of Burnout Viper and his minions invading San Francisco. These hyper-realistic augmented reality visuals showed the city under siege, seamlessly blending the game’s world with reality. Shared across social media and digital platforms, these ads immersed audiences in the story before they even played, sparking intrigue and discussion. By leveraging phygital storytelling, we transformed passive viewers into engaged participants, reinforcing the game’s themes and expanding its reach beyond traditional marketing.

And because every great journey deserves a signature look, we introduced MPMTeam-branded items and merch, so players can wear their battle scars (or just look cool) both in-game and beyond.

Tiktok & SnapChat Immersive AR Filters

To push the boundaries of phygital advertising, we introduced interactive TikTok and Snapchat filters featuring Burnout Viper’s Helmet, Sphinx Wings, and Flame Keepers' Masks—allowing users to step into the game’s world. These AR filters didn’t just promote the game; they made audiences part of it.

The response was immediate and powerful. Within the first 48 hours, Burnout Viper’s Helmet hit 20K views, with a 99.34% play rate per view, proving it was the most popular. Meanwhile, Sphinx Wings saw a 62% long-play rate, showing deep engagement. In total, our filters amassed 100K views after 1 week, demonstrating the impact of immersive AR experiences in driving interaction.

These numbers highlight the growing role of immersive AR experiences in advertising, where brands move beyond static promotions to interactive, shareable content that drives organic reach. By integrating new tech into our campaign, we turned passive viewers into active participants, making our game’s world feel more tangible than ever.

THE IMPACT

Voices of Industry Leaders

We asked industry leaders to share their voice and Burnout story, not only in the game but on their social media too. (voice among others: Iris Coldibelli, Kate Terentieva, Nora DiNuzzo, Dasia Braxton, Hayden Saul, Kerry Parkin, Niko Baumbach)

Across social media, people shared their own burnout stories, reinforcing the importance of the conversation.

To provide real value, we integrated resources from major publications like WARC, AdWeek, Vogue, and Headspace, offering players insights on burnout and ways to overcome it.

Let's turn obstacles into immersive inspiration together!

This is an internal project created by MPMTeam for the Creative and Marketing industry fellows facing burnout.

CREDITS:

Executive Creative Director: Mateusz Owi Owsiany

Art Director and Project Manager: Paulina Boginczuk

2nd Art Director: Wiktoria Lebek

3D Lead and Roblox Developer (Lua): Mateusz Baranowski

3D Artist and Animator: Julia Lebek

Motion Designer and Sound Design: Jacek Bielak

Fortnite (UEFN) Developer: Mateusz Walner

Burnout Voices:

Iris Coldibelli

Kate Terentieva

Nora DiNuzzo

Dasia Braxton

Hayden Saul

Kerry Parkin

Niko Baumbach

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